Bubble energized filter for aquarium



Dec. 11, 1956 D. P. SCHIAVO BUBBLE ENERGIZED FILTER FOR AQUARIUM Filed April 12. 1954 FIE 1 INVENTOR.

DOMINIC E SCHIAVQ FIIE| E United States Patent BUBBLE ENERGIZED FILTER FOR AQUARIUM Dominic P. Schiavo, San Jose, Calif.

Application April 12, 1954, Serial No. 422,523 2 Claims. 01. 210-16) The present invention relates to filters, and pertains more particularly to a filter for use particularly in small aquariums of the types used in homes. At present the hobby of raising small fish of tropical varieties has attained considerable importance in the United States. Many species of small fish, particularly of tropical varieties, now are kept and raised by people of all classes throughout the United States.

Many of these small fish are very sensitive to lack of aeration and impurities in the water, and various types of aerators and filters have been devised to keep the water of such aquariums properly aerated and relatively free from dirt and other impurities. A common type of aquarium filter is one wherein a quantity of granulated filtering material such as charcoal is housed in a container and the Water in the aquarium is drawn through the filtering material by a current of air generated by a series of bubbles passing upwardly through a vertical tube extending upwardly through the water. A filter of this general type is shown in Patent No. 2,653,908to Rodda, issued September 29, 1953. While filters of this general character operate satisfactorily as far as filtering of the water is concerned, they are relatively'expensive to make, it is sometimes difiicult to change the filtering material or to rinse out the filter even when it is not desired to change the filtering material.

The present invention contemplates the provision of an improved, easily cleaned filter for use in small aquariums. The invention also provides an easily installed and removed device for filtering the water of an aquarium, and one wherein a filled filter housing is easily removed for replacement or cleaning. Another object is to provide a filter for a small aquarium having a container for filtering medium with an easily removable perforated cover and having a vertical standpipe removably sealed to the cover and constructed to draw water from the aquarium downwardly through the contents of the container and thence back into the aquarium, the device being constructed for easy removal and replacement therein.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the'accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a small, home-type aquarium having a filter embodying the invention mounted therein.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical, diametrical sectional view through the filtering device shown in Fig. 1, an air supply hose being broken away.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the filtering device shown in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a device A for continuously filtering the water of a small aquarium comprises a cup-shaped container of a size to hold a suflicient quantity 11 of a suitable filtering material for an aquarium 12 of a predetermined size. For example, for if one or two gallon aquarium, the capacity of the contaifier 10 preferably should be of the order of four to six liquid ounces. Larger aquariums should be provided with filters of proportionately larger size.

The filter container 10 preferably is molded of clear transparent material such as, for example, glass or a hard finished styrene material. A small cover engaging flange 13 is provided around its open upper end. A cover 14 preferably of somewhat resilient molded plastic material is fitted closely but removably over the top of the container 10. The cover 14 comprises a substantially flat central portion 15 and adownwardly extending marginal flange 17. The lower edge portion 18 of the cover flange 17 is offset inwardly to fit beneath the container top flange 13 to retain the cover 14 thereon by means of the resiliency of the cover material. The cover 14 is provided with a multiplicity of small perforations 1 throughout a major portion of its area to permit the. influx of water into the container 16 in a manner to be described later herein.

An upright central tube or stand-pipe 20 is of a diameter to fit within a central opening 21 in the cover 14 The stand-pipe 20 is of a length to project at 20a above the cover 14 when mounted'upright therewith with its lower end resting on the bottom of the container 10 as shown in Fig. 2. Collar 22 to support-the center of the cover and to seal the joint between the stand-pipe 20 and the cover 14 is fitted around the stand-pipe at a height to flex the central portion of the cover 14-upwardly slightly as shown in Fig. 2. This upward flexing of the cover is for the principal purpose of exerting a resilient downward pressure on the stand-pipe against the bottom of the container to resist lateral displacement of the lower end of the tube within the container.

The lower end portion of the stand-pipe 20 is provided with several perforations 23 to permit a flow of water from the interior of the container 10 into the lower end of the stand-pipe. The holes 23 are of lesser diameter than the particles of filtering material 11 to be used in the device so as to prevent ingress of the filtering material into the stand-pipe.

The upper end of the stand-pipe 20 is shaped to receive the lower end of the upright tubular head portion 24 of a T-shaped fitting 25 with a press fit therein. The fitting 25 preferably is made from transparent plastic material to permit the observance of air bubbles passing upwardly therethrough in a manner to be described later herein.

The T-shaped fitting 25 has a laterally extending tubular stem portion 27 communicating with the bore of the upright tubular head portion 24, the outer end of the stern preferably being tapered as at 28 (Fig. 2) to facilitate its insertion into the end of a resilient hose 29. The hose 29 in turn is connected to the discharge side of a low capacity air compressor (not shown) of a type commonly employed to supply air in' limited quantities for the aeration of small aquariums.

In installing the filtering device A in an aquarium, the cover 14 is removed from the container 10, and, manually holding the stand-pipe 20 in upright condition axially of the container 10, the container is filled with filtering material 11, which may be granular charcoal. method for holding the stand-pipe 20 in upright position while filling the container 10. is to place ones index finger of the hand holding the container 10 over the open upper end of the stand-pipe. This seals the stand-pipe against the entrance of particles of the filtering material being poured into the container and at the same time holds the stand-pipe in properly centered position.

A suitable depth for the filtering material is approximately two thirds of the depth of the container. When thus filled, the stand-pipe 20 will be held in proper upright position by a filtering material in the container. The cover 14 then is fitted over the upper end of the standpipe 20 to rest on the collar 22 as shown in Fig.

A suitable 2 with the marginal cover flange 17 overlapping and inform of my invention, it is obvious that a container and terengaging the flange 13 surroundingthe uppervendi of.

the container.

The resilient upward flexing of the central portion of the cover 14- by the collar 22 exerts a downward pressure of the standpipe-20 on the bottom of the container.

. The" container thus filled then'is immersed inthe water' of-theaquarium 12 as illustrated'inF-ig. l, in which condition the container 10 fills with water, whichenters by'g-ravitythrough the perforations 1-9 in the cover. The lower end of the upright head portion 24 ofthe -T- co er.of. .rectangulan.or other suitable ..cr.ossv sectional shape may be employed, instead of the round cross sectional shape illustrated and described herein, and that other changes and modifications maybe made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described-the invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect 'by Letters Patent is defined in shaped tubular fitting 25 then is fitted into the upper end of the's ta'nd-pipe 20'. The flexible hose 29 is fitted'onto,

25; and

the-end of the lateral stem. 27" of the T-fitting the'device 'is .readyforoperation by the forcing of a small volume flow of. ain through the -hose 29 fromthe compressor to which it is connected. As air flows through the hose 29 and the lateralzstem. 27'into the upright head portion. 24"of the T-fittingZS, a succession of bubbles 30 ('Fig. 1) are formed in. the upright head portion: 24

above its junction with thestemportion 27; These bubbles, rising through the water filled upper portion-of the head portion 24- act like upwardly moving pistons to create an upward flow impulse'o'n the water which fills the stand-pipe '20. This draws water from'the container 10- through the holes 23 in the lowerend of the standpipe which in turn draws'water. downwardly from that'in the aquarium; 12 intotthecontainer- 10 through theopenings,19 in the cover-14. This water is gradually drawn downwardly throughthe filtering material 11: in the container 10, into the: stand-pipe 20 .andthence upwardly back'intothe main body ofwaterin' theaquarium through the fitting head portion 24.

It is necessary to change the filtering material.:only at) very infrequent intervals; However, it is: highlydesirabl'e to clean this'materialfrequently; For cleaningpurposes, the T-fitting is withdrawn fromits interfitted-condition within the upper end of the stand-pipe 20. The air hose 29 with the T-fitting 25 attached thereto maybe allowed to remain in the aquarium whilethe filled container 10 withthe cover 14 and stand-pipe 20 assembled therewith as shownl in; Figs. 1 and: 2 are removed from the aquarium. Without removing the-cover14; or

changing the position of the: stand-pipe 20 therein,: the I filtering material 11 may be cleanedby rinsing.

Preferably this rinsing operation is performed .in :a

tub or lavatory (not-shown} filled with clean water vtoia depth approximately twice that ofthe container 10.

The container may be held first on its side, andthenin .an inverted positionand shaken back and forth while immersed in theswater. This frees: the dirtand-other impurities whichhave collected on-the particles-of filtering material during operation oi the device in the aquarium. These impurities are carried? by the agitationiof the water in, the container through: the holes 19 in the cover, leaving the filtering material ll clean andready for reuse. The filterdeyice A thenis, replacediirnthe aquarium as shown in Fig. '1 andzthe head, 24. .of .the

T-shaped member 25 again isfitted: into the: upper end :a collar secured; around the stand-pipe. ataheight to urge receptacle, .the: upper:;end; ofi. .theastandTpiPe projecting above the covenfor connection.ottheiupright, portiomzof a =T.-fi,tting: thereto, and a.,.,proj.ection on, the. standt-pipe for,-engagement byzthecover eta-height to press the lower end of the stand-pipe into engagementwith thev'bottom of v the; receptacl en he; lower .end .of: the, stand-pipe 1 being f rmed for .;open;.comm nica i nwith; the n er r 11 tion. o he re ptacle; whe y sucti n on the. pp nd of: he; taudep ne raw ter; ro gh; the perforations in th o en do w rdly hmughi fi e ing. a e i in he cep a le-and. h n e pwa ly thr ugh he stand- In a lte f eam nna imn w e in a wofw ter {is nduced hr ugh abe of fi te n i ma e a y: a tre m f; bub es.p s ingryn tdly: h u h.- he; pr h po tion f; ht l d. 1w t ing; p-sh pe re p a le pen onlyv at,its;.top tor-receive a' layerof filtering materiaLparticles .tl1er ein,; a-,-cover retaining;bead formed-peripherally about the up per .rim'of the-receptacle, .a perforated flexible cover'removalzly-;mounted-,to close, the open. top

of said receptacle a. resilient-1 marginal flange on said covenfor releasably grippingthe beadon theupper rirn of saidreceptacle, an upright stand-pipe; mounted imnonsealing. relation on. the; closed bottom of; said receptacle and'passingfupyvardly through-the centerof said cover,

. the central portion ofr the. coverupwardly therebyto exof the stand-pipe. 20-as shownin Figs. 1 and- 2. Since the'hose 29' was not removedfrom the stem.:21 of the T-fittingfwhen removingthe container assembly for cleaning, thisplaces the apparatus again. in -a condition for; operation asudescribed preyiously. herein, bypassing p air; intohe fi ting-.25 h oug he se 2. r

While I 'have1illustratedQanddescribed a preferred ent a downward; pressure on the stand-pipe against the bottom of the. receptacle whereby; suction onthenpper enda-f'of the standpipe, drawsv water. through the, perforations in the cover, downwardlyv thr'ouglrlthe filtering material. in Y the j receptacle andv thence =upWard1y:, through the. .standpipe.

' R e'r n e ci in he'fi fthi'srpatent unrrnu TAT-Es PAT NT 2,024,646. Jones Dec-t 17:,1-935 2 ,2933051 Dufiey: Aug. 18, 1942 2,533,936 Holmes et al'. Dec. 12,1950 2,614,529 Hansen Oct.21", 1-952 2,653,908 Rodda Sept. 29; 1953 2,674,574 .Pettas Apr. '6; 1954 25 16,921 yanteenskistej Apr. 27;11954 

1. IN A FILTER FOR AN AQUARIUM WHEREIN A FLOW OF WATER IS INDUCED THROUGH A BED OF FILTERING MATERIAL BY A STREAM OF BUBBLES PASSING INWARDLY THROUGH THE UPRIGHT PORTION OF A T-SHAPED TUBE FITTING; A CUP-SHAPED RECEPTACLE FOR HOLDING A SUPPLY OF FILTERING MATERIAL AND FOR MOUNTING IN UPRIGHT SUBMERGED CONDITION IN AN AQUARIUM, A COVER HAVING A PLURALITY OF PERFORATIONS THEREIN REMOVABLYL ATTACHED OVER THE OPEN UPPEN END OF THE RECEPTACLE, AN UPRIGHT STAND-PIPE FITTED INTO AN OPENING IN THE COVER THE INSERTION THROUGH FILTERING MATERIAL TO THE BOTTOM OF THE RECEPTACLE, THE UPPER END OF THE STAND-PIPE PROJECTING ABOVE THE COVER FOR CONNECTION OF THE UPRIGHT PORTION OF A T-FITTING THERETO, AND A PROJECTING ON THE STAND-PIPE 